Salvation

This week is the first post in a four-post series about next steps we take in our faith. We are going to look at salvation, baptism, membership, and service. This week we start with the very first next step, coming to know Jesus.

Here’s what it looks like when a person is saved: God draws you to Himself…You sense something missing in your soul.  You feel sick about your own sin, and you confess, you believe in the work of Christ, and then you run into the arms of Jesus!
 
When we do that, we are saved. Another term is born again, another is redeemed, or adopted as a son and daughter. There are still other descriptive terms in the Bible for our being saved, all beautiful, all good, and it has to do with God's work in us. 
 
You will find that the Bible talks about God drawing us to Himself, His initiative in bringing us to a place where we trust Him. You will also find that the Bible speaks of our coming to Him, of our choosing, of our confessing and repenting. So, what is it really? Is it a work we do or is it a work God does? Is it His irresistible call that brings us to a place of hopelessness and ultimately trust in Him to save us? Or is it our realizing our own sin and calling upon Him? The answer to both is yes. You will find both scenarios described in God's Holy Word. Some find that confusing, I find it freeing! After all, God is God, and I am not supposed to be able to figure Him out. Since God is God, all-powerful, sovereign, He has to have some things about Him that go beyond my understanding. Such is life. A God we can completely figure out is not really a God at all.

And sometimes our coming to Jesus seems way too simple. We sense it ought to be harder, that we could earn it, do something…that we could at least crawl on our hands and knees to fulfill some obligation. You see, at the heart of all this is a concept called Grace. Grace is a free gift that we don't earn, it is bestowed upon us. It brings us a forgiveness we don't deserve, the holiness we could never attain, and the future we could never secure. It's a gift. And it's given in Jesus. And quite frankly, that goes against the American way of earning things!
 
Sometimes I wish I could tell people here's three things you do to come to Jesus. In other words, if you do a, b, and c, you will be saved. But that would muddy the concept of grace. It's about, and always has been about, a free, wonderful gift!
 
If you don't know Jesus, and you want to…that is the voice of God calling to you…run to Him! And you will find, that as you run, He's been calling you the whole time!
 
What happens when we come to Jesus? Grace happens. Can’t explain it, can't figure it out, you just thank God for it!
 
And after you run to Him, the call is to follow Him. We will talk about that next.